Apparatus for connecting conductors to contact terminals in an electrical connector

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for inserting conductors into the conductor receiving slots in terminals which are contained in a multicontact connector comprises a fixed base which serves as a jig for the connector and for the conductors. A conductor trimming and inserting tool is removably mounted on the base so that after the wires have been properly positioned in the jib, the tool can be mounted thereon and the connections formed.

United States Patent [191 Over 1 Nov. 5, 1974 APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING CONDUCTORS TO CONTACT TERMINALS IN AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa.

[22] Filed: Apr. 4, 1973 211 App]. No.: 347,965

[52] US. Cl. 29/203 MW, 29/203 P [51] Int. Cl. H05k 3/32, H05k 13/04 [58] Field of Search 29/203 MW, 203 P, 203 H,

29/203 HC, 203 HT, 203 J [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1972 Brown 29/203 MW William Roderick Over, Harrisburg, I

3,742,571 7/1973 Brehm 29/203 P Primary ExaminerTh0mas H. Eager Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Frederick W. Raring; Jay L. Seitchik; William J. Keating [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for inserting conductors into the conductor receiving slots in terminals which are contained in a multicontact connector comprises a fixed base which serves as a jig for the connector and for the conductors. A conductor trimming and inserting tool is removably mounted on the base so that after the wires have been properly positioned in the jib, the tool can be mounted thereon and the connections formed.

9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures I PATENTEUnuv 5mm; (1845535 SHEET 2!]? 7 APPARATUS FOR CONNECTING CONDUCTORS TO CONTACT TERMINALS IN AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION of the conductors laterally of their axes and into the slots.

Application Ser. No. 147,578 now U.S. Pat. No..

3,758,935 discloses and claims an apparatus for simultaneously trimming the ends of a plurality of conductors and inserting the conductors into the conductor receiving slots of the electrical connector. This apparatus has an integral jig means for holding the connector and integral conductor positioning jigs for locating the conductors properly for the trimming and inserting operation. Application Ser. No. 332,537 discloses and claims an apparatus of the type shown in application Ser. No. 147,578 in which the wire positioning jig means is removably mounted so that a single apparatus can be used with a plurality of wire positioning jigs. As explained in application Ser. No. 332,537 this feature of having the jigs removably mounted on the apparatus is advantageous in cable manufacturing operations in which cable containing a plurality of conductors is connected to the terminal positions in two or more connectors.

The instant invention is directed to the achievement of an improved apparatus of the general type shown in the above-identified applications Ser. No. 147,578 and Ser. No. 332,537 which is particularly intended for use in harness manufacturing operations. An apparatus assembly in accordance with the general principles of the instant invention comprises a jig which is fixed to a work surface, such as a harness board, and an inserting and trimming tool which is removably secured to the jig. The jig has means for holding a connector and has conductor locating and'holding means for the locating of a plurality of conductors in alignment with the slots in the terminals in the connector. After the wires have been positioned in the jig, the conductor trimming and insertion tool can be mounted on the jig and the wires inserted into the terminals. The harness manufacturing method for which the instant apparatus is particularly adapted is disclosed and claimed in the co-pending application of Earl F. Folkenroth Ser. No. 347,957.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide an improved trimming and inserting apparatus for trimming the ends of conductorsand inserting them into slots in terminals. A further object is to provide an apparatus having a fixed jig for the connector and conductors and a trimming and inserting tool which is removably mounted on the jig. A further object is to provide an improved apparatus particularly intended for use in harness and cable manufacturing processes.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved,

in a preferred embodiment thereof, which is briefly described in the foregoing abstract, which is described in detail below and which is shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled electrical connector having conductors secured to the terminals which are contained therein, the connector shown being of the type for which the disclosed embodiment of the instant invention is particularly intended.

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the connector of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of a conductor trimming and inserting apparatus in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus showing the positions of the parts at the conclusion of the conductor trimming and inserting operation. I

FIG. 6 is a sectional side view of the apparatus, the insertion slide member being in its open or raised position in this view.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side view, on an enlarged scale, of the apparatus illustrating the location of the wire in the wirepositioning jig of the apparatus.

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the positions of the parts at the conclusion of the wiretrimming and inserting operation.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing details of the conductor inserting means of the apparatus.

Referring first to FIGS. 1-3, the herein disclosed embodiment of the invention is particularly intended to trim wires 2 and insert the trimmed wires into slots 4 of terminals 6 which are contained in an electrical connector 8. Each contact terminal 6 has a flat tongue 10 extending to its forward end which is reversely bent at 12 to provide a rearwardly extending contact portion 14, the contact portion of the disclosed embodiment being axially slotted to provide two separate contacts with a conductor on a printed circuit board.

The rearward portion of terminal 6 functions as a conductor receiving portion and is generally tubular having a web 16 and sidewalls 18 which are turned inwardly and towards each other to define the previously identified slot 4. The sidewalls are partially sheared along diagonal shear lines which extend from slot 4 to punched holes 22 on each slide of the slot so as to provide two separate spring systems for two wires as shown in FIG. 3. The upper portions of the sidewalls extend rearwardly beyond the web 16 as shown at 24 and have convergent edges 25 to assist in guiding the wires into the slot 4.

The housing 26 of the connector is generally prismatic and has a mating face 28 and a rearward face 30. A plurality of contact receiving cavities 32 extend through the housing from the rearward face to the mating face and are separated from each other by T-shaped barriers 34 on the mating face side. As shown in FIG. 3, each cavity is enlarged at its rearward end 36 for the accomodation of the tubular conductor receiving portion of a terminal 6 and openings 38 are provided on the upper surface 40 of the housing which communicate with the cavities and through which the wires extend in the finished and assembled connector. Barriers or fins 42 extend rearwardly from the face 40 on the upper portion of the housing and separate the conductor receiving portions from each other.

A back cover 44, which is mounted on the rearward face 30, is channel-shaped in cross-section and has forwardly extending flanges 46 which surround the rearward portions 24 of the terminals. This back cover has latch arms 48 on its ends which have holes 50 adapted to engage bosses 52 on the oppositely directed ends 39 of the housing 26.

The connector of FIGS. l-3 is described above only to the extent necessary for an understanding of the instant invention. Further details of this connector are set forth in application Ser. No. 347,956 filed of even date herewith.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, a preferred form of apparatus 54 in accordance with the present invention comprises a fixed base 56 which serves as a connector and wire jig and a conductor trimming and inserting tool 58 which is adapted to be removably mounted on the base. The base 56 comprises a base block 60 which may be permanently fixed to a work surface, such as a harness board 62, which has an L-shaped recess 64 extending across its upper or free end for the accomodation of a connector housing 26. A cutter bar 68 ismounted in a small recess at the upper end of the free end portion 67 of the block and has integral spaced apart barriers or vanes, these barriers being mounted in alignment with the barriers 42 of the housing contained in the recess 64. The cutter bar extends leftwardly as viewed in FIG. 6 over the connector receiving recess 64 and has upper edges 70 between adjacent barriers 66 which serve as fixed shearing edges as will be described below.

Separate side plates 72 are secured by screws 74 against the ends of the block 60 and have slots 76 extending inwardly from their righthand edges as viewed in FIG. 4. The inner portions of these slots are enlarged and these slots are adapted to receive rails 118, 120 of the tool 58 as will also be described below. The connector housing 26 must be precisely positioned in the recess 64 and to this end, positioning clamps or brackets 78 are secured to the side of the block 60 above the side plates 72. These brackets have inwardly directed bars 79 which extend over the surface 65 of recess 64 and which serve as positioning stops for the ends of the connector 26.

As shown best in FIG. 6, the connector 26 is securely held in the recess 64 by means of a clamping screw 82 which is threaded through a frame plate 84. Barriers or vanes 85 are provided on the upper end of plate 84 which are in alignment with the previously described barriers 66 on the base block 60. As will be apparent from FIG. 7, a wire positioned between adjacent barriers on the face plate and the frame block will extend centrally over a contact terminal 6 in one of the cavities of the housing.

The apparatus 58 comprises a yoke-like frame having side rails 86 and a cross head 88 extending between the upper ends of these rails. Guide rails 90 extend between the rails 86 midway down from the crosshead 88 and serve to accurately guide a reciprocable slide 92 on which is mounted the wire severing and insertion tooling. This slide is actuated by a cam follower 94 journalled at its upper end in the slide 92 and which is engaged by a cam 96 mounted on a shaft 98 extending through the cross-head 85. A handle 100 is provided on cam 96 so that when this handle is swung through a counterclockwise are as viewed in FIG. 6, the slide 92 will be moved downwardly from the position of FIG. 7 to the position of FIG. 8. The slide 92 is normally maintained in its upper position by return springs I02 extending between pins in the crosshead and the slide.

The lower end of the slide 92 has a groove or recess extending thereacross which defines flanges 104, 105.

An inserter 106 (FIG. 9) is mounted in this recess between the flanges and secured in place by suitable pins 108. This inserter has a plurality of aligned pairs of conductor inserting punches 110, 112 depending from its underside, each pair of aligned punches being separated by a gap so that punches can move downwardly to the position of FIG. 8 on each side of the conductor receiving slot of a terminal. The flange 104 which is proximate to the cutter bar 68 has a lower edge 115 which serves as a movable shearing edge in cooperation with the edges of the cutter bar to sever the individual wires as illustrated in FIG. 8. The rails 86 have outwardly offset portions 116 below the guide rails and the inwardly directed faces of the rails have transversely extending mounting rails 118 which are dimensioned to enter the grooves or slots 76 of the end plates 72.

In use, the inserting tool will normally be removed from the base 56 and when it is desired to connect wires 'to a connector, the connector is first located in the recess 64 and between the ears 79 of the brackets 78 with the side 40 of the connector opposed to the screw 82. The screw is then tightened to precisely locate the connector against the vertical side of recess 64 and the individual wires are then located between adjacent barriers 85 and adjacent barriers 66 so that the wires extend above the terminals and have their ends located on the righthand side of the connector as shown in FIG. 7. After the wires have been positioned in the jig and in alignment with the terminals to which they are to be connected, the tool is mounted on the base by aligning the rails 118 with the recesses or grooves 76 and moving the tool laterally into these recesses in the side plates. The handle is then swung through a counterclockwise are as viewed in FIG. 6 to drive the slide 92 downwardly to the position of FIG. 8. During such downward move of the slide, each pair of punches 112, engage one of the wires and push it downwardly into the conductor receiving slot of the terminal in the immediately adjacent cavity. As the edge moves past the edge 70 of the cutter bar, the wires are trimmed and the trimmed ends are inserted into the slots of the terminals. When the end of the downward stroke of the slide is reached, the lower end of the flange 104 is against the upwardly facing edge of the housing 30 as shown at 122 in FIG. 8. The screw 82 is then loosened and the connector with the wires attached to the terminals therein can be lifted upwardly between the rows of barriers 66, 85 and removed.

As previously mentioned, the apparatus in accordance with the invention can be used to advantage in the manufacture of electrical harnesses as more fully described in application Ser. No. 347,957. Apparatus in accordance with the instant invention can also be used to advantage wherever wires or other conductors must be inserted into the slots of terminals contained in a housing.

A distinct advantage of the invention is that the individual conductors are not disturbed or handled in any way during the interval between the time they are placed between the barriers on the jig member and the time they are inserted into the slots in the terminals and the jig member itself need not be moved or disturbed. It follows that there is virtually no possibility of a conductor being connected to the wrong terminal if it is properly positioned on the jig member. A further advantage is that the jig member is completely accessable while the conductors are being placed therein, for the reason that the tool is not mounted on the jig.

Modifications of the disclosed embodiment which are within the scope of the appended claim will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the term conductors" is used advisedly herein to include conductors other than round wires. Apparatus in accordance with the invention can beadapted to the use of flat ribbon-like conductors as disclosed in application Ser. No. 413,092. Another feasible modification relates to the fact that in the disclosed embodiment, the connectors are assembled to the ends of the wires and the wire ends are trimmed at the time of insertion. lf desired, the connectors can be assembled to intennediate portions of the wires by removing the shearing edge 70 on the cutter bar 68 as generally disclosed in the aboveidentified application Ser. No. 332,537.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications andembodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for inserting each ofa plurality of conductors into each of a plurality ofconductor-receiving slots in electrical contact terminals which are contained in a housing, said apparatus comprising:

a base frame member having a free end,

first jig means in said base frame member for holding said housing in a predetermined position with said slots directed towards said free end,

second jig means in said base frame member for locating said conductors on said free end and in alignment with said slots,

an insertion tool removably mounted on said base frame member, said insertion tool having an insertion slide, said slide being normally spaced from said free end and being reciprocable towards and away from said free end, said slide having means for engaging said conductors and moving said conductors from said second jig means into said slots of said terminals whereby, said conductors can be positioned in said second jig means when said insertion tool is removed from said base member, and upon assembly of said insertion tool to said base frame member and actuation of said insertion slide, said conductors are inserted into said slots and thereby connected to said terminals, and upon subsequent removal of said tool from .said base frame member, said connector with said conductors connected to said terminals can be removed from said base frame member.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said base frame member having fixed shearing edge means between said first and second jig means, said insertion slide having movable shearing edge means which is movable past said fixed shearing edge means thereby to shear and trim said conductors during movement thereof from said second jig means'into said slots.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said second jig means comprising parallel barriers on said free end, adjacent barriers being adapted to receive one of said conductors therebetween.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said second jig means comprising two rows of spaced apart barriers, said rows being parallel to each other and said rows being spaced apart, adjacent barriers of each row being adapted to receive a conductor-therebetween whereby said conductor will extend between said rows, said first jig means being adapted to hold said housing between said rows.

5. Apparatus for inserting each of a plurality of conductors into each of a plurality of conductor-receiving slots in electrical contact terminals which are contained in an electrical connector, said apparatus com prising:

a base member, said base member having a fixed end and a free end,

first jig means in said base member for holding said connector in a predetermined position with said slots in said contact terminals directed towards said free end, second jig means in said base member for locating said conductors on said free end and in alignment with said slots, i

an insertion tool, said tool comprising a pair of spaced-apart rails in straddling relationship to said base member, said rails being removably secured to said base member, I

an insertion slide mounted between said rails, said slide being normally spaced from said free end and being reciprocable towards and away from said free end, said slide having means for engaging said conductors and moving said conductors from said second jig means into said slots of said contact terminals whereby, said conductors can be positioned in said second jig means when said insertion tool is removed from said base member, and upon assembly of said insertion tool to said base member and actuation of said insertion slide, said conductors are inserted into said slots and thereby connected to said terminals, and upon subsequent removal of said tool from said base member, said connector with said conductors connected to said terminals can be removed from said base member.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, said base member having fixed shearingedge means therein, said insertion slide having movable shearing edge means thereon for cooperation with said fixed shearing edges means to shear said conductors during movement thereof into said slots.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, said first jig means comprising a recess in said base member and clamping means for clamping said connector against one side of said recess.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 said second jig means comprising spaced apart barriers on said free end of said base-member.

9. Apparatus for trimming a plurality of wires and substantially simultaneously inserting said wires into the wirereceiving slots of electrical terminals, said terminals being contained in an electrical connector, said apparatus comprising:

- a fixed base member having a free upper end, means on said upper end for locating said wires in spacedapart parallel relationship on said base member,

connector locating means in said base member for locating said connector with said wire-receiving slots in alignment with conductors in said conduc-' tor locating means,

fixed shearing means between said conductor locating means and said connector locating means,

fixed shearing edge menas and having insertion punch means for transferring said wires from said wire holder means into said slots, whereby, upon placement of a connector in said connector holding means and placement of wires in said wire holding means, and upon subsequent assembly of said insertion tool to said base member and actuation of said slide, said wires are trimmed to uniform lengths and inserted into said slots. 

1. Apparatus for inserting each of a plurality of conductors into each of a plurality of conductor-receiving slots in electrical contact terminals which are contained in a housing, said Apparatus comprising: a base frame member having a free end, first jig means in said base frame member for holding said housing in a predetermined position with said slots directed towards said free end, second jig means in said base frame member for locating said conductors on said free end and in alignment with said slots, an insertion tool removably mounted on said base frame member, said insertion tool having an insertion slide, said slide being normally spaced from said free end and being reciprocable towards and away from said free end, said slide having means for engaging said conductors and moving said conductors from said second jig means into said slots of said terminals whereby, said conductors can be positioned in said second jig means when said insertion tool is removed from said base member, and upon assembly of said insertion tool to said base frame member and actuation of said insertion slide, said conductors are inserted into said slots and thereby connected to said terminals, and upon subsequent removal of said tool from said base frame member, said connector with said conductors connected to said terminals can be removed from said base frame member.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, said base frame member having fixed shearing edge means between said first and second jig means, said insertion slide having movable shearing edge means which is movable past said fixed shearing edge means thereby to shear and trim said conductors during movement thereof from said second jig means into said slots.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said second jig means comprising parallel barriers on said free end, adjacent barriers being adapted to receive one of said conductors therebetween.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said second jig means comprising two rows of spaced apart barriers, said rows being parallel to each other and said rows being spaced apart, adjacent barriers of each row being adapted to receive a conductor therebetween whereby said conductor will extend between said rows, said first jig means being adapted to hold said housing between said rows.
 5. Apparatus for inserting each of a plurality of conductors into each of a plurality of conductor-receiving slots in electrical contact terminals which are contained in an electrical connector, said apparatus comprising: a base member, said base member having a fixed end and a free end, first jig means in said base member for holding said connector in a predetermined position with said slots in said contact terminals directed towards said free end, second jig means in said base member for locating said conductors on said free end and in alignment with said slots, an insertion tool, said tool comprising a pair of spaced-apart rails in straddling relationship to said base member, said rails being removably secured to said base member, an insertion slide mounted between said rails, said slide being normally spaced from said free end and being reciprocable towards and away from said free end, said slide having means for engaging said conductors and moving said conductors from said second jig means into said slots of said contact terminals whereby, said conductors can be positioned in said second jig means when said insertion tool is removed from said base member, and upon assembly of said insertion tool to said base member and actuation of said insertion slide, said conductors are inserted into said slots and thereby connected to said terminals, and upon subsequent removal of said tool from said base member, said connector with said conductors connected to said terminals can be removed from said base member.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, said base member having fixed shearing edge means therein, said insertion slide having movable shearing edge means thereon for cooperation with said fixed shearing edges means to shear said conductors during movement thereof into said slots.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, said first jig means comprisIng a recess in said base member and clamping means for clamping said connector against one side of said recess.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 said second jig means comprising spaced apart barriers on said free end of said base member.
 9. Apparatus for trimming a plurality of wires and substantially simultaneously inserting said wires into the wirereceiving slots of electrical terminals, said terminals being contained in an electrical connector, said apparatus comprising: a fixed base member having a free upper end, means on said upper end for locating said wires in spaced-apart parallel relationship on said base member, connector locating means in said base member for locating said connector with said wire-receiving slots in alignment with conductors in said conductor locating means, fixed shearing means between said conductor locating means and said connector locating means, a wire trimming and insertion tool, said tool comprising a pair of spaced apart side rails, said rails being in straddling relationship to, and having free ends secured to, said base member, an insertion slide member slidable mounted between said side rails, said slide member being normally spaced from said upper end of said base member and being reciprocable towards and away from said upper end, said slide members having movable severing edge means thereon for cooperation with said fixed shearing edge menas and having insertion punch means for transferring said wires from said wire holder means into said slots, whereby, upon placement of a connector in said connector holding means and placement of wires in said wire holding means, and upon subsequent assembly of said insertion tool to said base member and actuation of said slide, said wires are trimmed to uniform lengths and inserted into said slots. 